Anyone in the workforce can tell you that accidents happen. Few workplace accidents are more serious or devastating than those that cause paralysis. It is a debilitating and expensive tragedy to endure, piling up medical bills while keeping the victim from work.
Thankfully, a workers’ compensation lawyer can help. With workers’ comp benefits, you can reclaim your life and gain compensation from your workplace to cover your lost income, medical care, and other costs of the injury. Victims of workplace injuries should consider reaching out to a law firm.
Common Work Injuries That Lead to Paralysis
There are a number of catastrophic injuries that could lead to paralysis in a Georgia workplace. Traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury are the most common causes and can occur in a multitude of ways.
A fall, a heavy blow to the back or head, or equipment malfunctions can cause paralysis injuries. The injury could have occurred due to someone else’s negligence or your own, but in any case, paralysis lawyers can help you pick up the pieces, no matter how the injury occurred.
Benefits Available for Injured Workers
Serious injuries can be a burden on the victim’s life. If you are injured on the job, you may have grounds for workers’ comp benefits. Our attorneys can provide the support you need to seek benefits. A workers’ compensation lawyer can review the details of your workplace paralysis injury and build up your paralysis injury claim to ensure you receive all of the benefits you are entitled to.
Medical Care Costs
Medical expenses are a daunting part of any injury, and spinal cord injuries are not cheap to treat. Permanent paralysis is a possibility, and that means medical visits and surgical procedures far into the future.
Your paralysis compensation claim will ensure that your workplace’s insurance covers your medical care costs, keeping the bills from overwhelming you. They may also include travel expenses as you visit doctors and hospitals for treatment, surgery, and rehabilitation.
Wage Replacement
The other most pressing monetary consequence paralysis victims face is the wages lost from being unable to work. Without proper muscle function, it is unlikely that you can continue performing the job — if you can even work at all.
A workers’ compensation lawyer can recover the damages, ensuring you are not just cut adrift without a paycheck to keep you afloat.
Death Benefits
Workers’ compensation also covers the cost if death occurs as a direct result of a workplace injury. This includes funeral expenses, burial, and financial damages to the victim’s immediate family resulting from losing their loved one.
Hopefully, it never comes to this, but you can rest assured that your family should be cared for. If the insurance company refuses to help, our team can appeal their decision.
How Can a Workers’ Comp Lawyer Help My Case?
In a normal workers’ comp situation, your boss informs the insurance company of your injury, and the insurance company investigates so that they can pay you the appropriate amount of money for the appropriate amount of time.
Unfortunately, this may not be how your case panned out. Your boss can misrepresent the situation, the insurance company can try to deny you coverage, and they may cut off your benefits prematurely.
A good legal team can help you recover damages by appealing their decision. That includes mediation and an appointment with Georgia’s State Board of Workers’ Compensation. They can also review what other legal recourse you may have in relation to your injury.
Atlanta Paralysis Injury FAQ
How much compensation do you get for being paralyzed?
In the state of Georgia, workers’ compensation is generally two-thirds of your regular weekly wage, capped at $675. These benefits usually extend up to 400 weeks, though most paralysis cases end before that point. If you are able to return to work but are still somewhat disabled, your payout varies based on your earned wages.
In the case of permanent disability, lifetime benefits may be available. Talk to your lawyer if you believe you may be eligible for further benefits.
How much compensation do you get for mental health?
Under Georgia law, a worker can receive compensation for mental pain and suffering only if it relates to a physical injury accrued on the job. Paralysis is a catastrophic, often traumatizing injury leading to mental and physical suffering.
If your injury has left you with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), then the maximum compensation can increase accordingly.
What percentage does a lawyer get in a settlement case in Georgia?
Most injury attorneys in Georgia work on contingency, which means that they do not receive any payment if you do not win the paralysis claim. However, if your case is successful, you can expect to pay between 33% and 40% of the payout.
Of course, other factors can affect this amount. Not all law firms are the same. You will likely work this number out before the case ever begins.
Why can muscle paralysis follow a spinal cord injury?
Your spinal cord is a central part of your nervous system, connecting your brain and nerves to the rest of your body. When the spinal cord is injured, you can suffer a loss of control over particular muscles.
Quadriplegia occurs when you lose control of all four limbs, the full extent of which usually relates to how high or low the spinal cord injury occurs. Paraplegia only affects the legs and lower body. No matter the circumstances of the injury, the overall quality of your life is severely affected.
Call a Paralysis Injury Lawyer in Atlanta
Don’t let a workers’ compensation rejection cost you your due payment. A workers’ compensation lawyer can help you with every possible solution, from gathering evidence to determining liability, and can sit down to work out a solution.
The Law Offices of Hansford McDaniel – Workers’ Compensation Attorneys is an experienced law firm specializing in workers’ comp cases, and we will be more than happy to help you however we can. Reach out by calling or filling out our online contact form for a free consultation.
